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Friday, January 11, 2013

Racing a Royal Enfield against the odds and the clock

With its "Autumn Blitz" of three races in 30 days on one Royal Enfield motorcycle complete, it's now a season of reflection for Leon Stanley, builder of the Badger.

The Badger went road racing Sept. 22 at Summit Point in West Virginia, chased a land speed record Sept. 30 in Wilmington, Ohio, and sought flat track glory Oct. 31 in Cuddebackville, N.Y.

With cameras following him every step of the way, reality television style, Leon found himself considering not only how things are going, but about what he is trying to prove.

"Nothing in the end," he concludes, on his Badger Corse blog. "Sometimes it's just the simple joy of getting lost in something that gives you pleasure and satisfaction. An end unto itself. Secondly, I've long believed, now more then ever, that what ever the pursuit, much of our effort is not about the activity itself, but rather the people we meet along the way."

We'll find out how things went in "The Badger, Made in Trenton" documentary when it emerges from production at Pure Motion Pictures.

To tease us in the meantime, Leon posted videos of Badger in action on YouTube. I found the video of Joe Clancy on Badger at Summit Point most stirring, even though it shows only a practice run.